Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Chinchilla2]

Quote:
I'm currently in online classes myself working on getting a bachelor's in psychology. Hubby is working on one in business. We're both in our forties, about 1 year away from our respective degrees, and this is his first stab at college. If you were to ask him, he'd say he really doesn't feel any different about himself than he did before starting college but I see a difference in how he acts and feels about himself. It will be one of the BEST things you ever do. Being fairly new to the board I am not that familiar with you through the posts here but from what I can see you have more than enough determination, courage, and discipline to get that degree. GO FOR IT!

 

[SD_Paulo]

Quote:
If I graduated colleage you can do it too! I am not a rocket scientist; I just dug my heels in and stuck it out.

My two cents: get your AA at a Junior College, then transfer credits to a 4 yr. University for your degree....it will save you a wad of money!

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
If I graduated colleage you can do it too! I am not a rocket scientist; I just dug my heels in and stuck it out.

My two cents: get your AA at a Junior College, then transfer credits to a 4 yr. University for your degree....it will save you a wad of money!

I agree! Plus the community college experience was great for me because they are smaller so the support network was really amazing! You really get to know your professors and counselors well. I went to college at an older age too after never finishing High School. I was very intimidated since I had missed a lot of education as a teen and I was the first person in my family to get a degree. No worries though! They will give you a placement test before starting classes and will give you recommendations based on the results. If you feel the need to take a more basic course than you are in then drop the course and take a remedial course to catch up.

My main problem was English. They stuck me into college level classes (I really should have been placed in remedial classes) because my comprehension was very good and my writing was ok. I read a lot and that helped but even though I could write (halfway decent) when given enough time I really had no idea why I was writing it that way. I didn't know the rules of grammer! I just kept rewriting til it sounded correct. My professors recommended a good grammer book and between that and the tutoring center I managed to get A's in all my English classes. Still fuzzy on the rules of grammer though!

So don't be afraid to ask for help and use the resources at the college as well as getting together for study groups. You'll do just fine, I'm sure! BTW, older students actually do much better on average than students right out of high school. When we are older we take it a lot more seriously and are usually over the partying phase of our lives plus we know the value of an education. I may not be currently using my BA (although I did for many years) but it has definitely changed me for the better!

Let us know how you do. Good luck!!!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
If I graduated colleage you can do it too! I am not a rocket scientist; I just dug my heels in and stuck it out.

My two cents: get your AA at a Junior College, then transfer credits to a 4 yr. University for your degree....it will save you a wad of money!

X2 on this Debbi.

I went back to school after my kids were born. Did the AA at the community college. My grades were so good that I got a scholarship / grant for the third year at a PRIVATE university. I ended up only paying a small amount for my last year at the Private university. OBTW - - The first TWO years getting the AA were more like 6 years long because I was squeezing them in between life and everything else. The community, jr colleges, are smaller and can cater more to the needs of an older adult returning to school. Between the smaller classes, increased help, and decreased cost.... community colleges are the way to go for the first two years IMHO

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Debbi, I too hated school as a young person. But college/university are a whole different ballgame. I do have a university degree and have gone back a few times to take additional courses (and continue to go back), both on campus and on line. Absolutely GO FOR IT!! There are more mature students than you can imagine. As a mature student, you are bringing life experience and motivation with you. You will be SO glad you did it. Nothing better than expanding the mind!!! (Except maybe chickens but you don't have to give them up to study ...

)

 

[chevgrl]

Quote:
I'm currently in online classes myself working on getting a bachelor's in psychology. Hubby is working on one in business. We're both in our forties, about 1 year away from our respective degrees, and this is his first stab at college. If you were to ask him, he'd say he really doesn't feel any different about himself than he did before starting college but I see a difference in how he acts and feels about himself. It will be one of the BEST things you ever do. Being fairly new to the board I am not that familiar with you through the posts here but from what I can see you have more than enough determination, courage, and discipline to get that degree. GO FOR IT!

Debbi- I am in the same boat as you only I enjoyed school as a child. But like stated previously college is a whole different ball game. I was scared because I was homeschooled I would lack wisdom in college and maintaining my classes on a time frame. But Io found college Easy... my second day of college I had my eyes completely opened... I never knew that teachers acctually stood up and taught the subject. I had no idea that you could ask them questions. That didn't happen when being homeschooled. We got a book and taught ourselves. My mother was an english buff but when it came to chemistry or trigonomitry we were on our own. I found college easy because I had someone telling me the right way to do something. All in All you'll do great. But sednd prayers your way.

Chinchilla I am also getting my BA in psychology. Do plan on counseling? I may try to get my masters who knows.

 

[flgardengirl]

Debbie, I definitely think you should do the things you want to do in life. Now days nobody cares about age. 2 of my kids are in college and there are people there in their 60's and 70's getting thier first degrees.
There are med and law students in thier 50's now and no one thinks much of it. They say kids now will change careers an average of 3 times before they retire. I've read about many law degree students graduating in thier 70's.

Like MathAce I got married young, had kids and then went back to college and went to a community college my first 2 years because we didn't have alot of money. I was in honors and got a transfer scholarship to a private Christian University which I could never have afforded otherwise. I never thought I would end up at a University either but I did it...with 2 toddlers and a newborn. I am good in English and biology but had to study alot in the areas I didn't like like such as the upper level math stuff LOL! I graduated with my Bachelor's in Nursing. So if I can do it, so can you!

Many people get thier associates or just get enough credits to transfer to the universities through the communities colleges because they are so much cheaper for the same exact classes! Just make sure to work with an advisor at the university you choose (if you want to go that route) to make sure your classes are going to be the right ones to transfer for your degree. Your diploma will only list the University you finish at and not the community college so there's no difference really, except the price.

Look into your community college first vs privat online schools because sometimes classes are much cheaper at the community colleges PLUS you may be able to take many of the basic classes such as english, math, psychology etc ONLINE. Even the universities are offering online courses too now and the state colleges/universities, and communities colleges online courses are usually way cheaper than going through the private schools online courses.

As far as financing, if you are an American citizen and have not earned your first bachelor's degree you may be able to get government grants (you don't have to pay them back) or loans (you start paying back 6 mos after graduating at a low interest rate). Depending on your income you can usually get quite a bit of funding from the government.

The first steps are the hardest. Take easy things first like the things that you are best at. It will help build confidence and get you back into the groove of studying without being too overwhelming. I swear my first few semesters, I wanted to quit every time I got a new schedule but I'd make myself go back everyday. Tell yourself, "Today I am going to do something brave and different" then make yourself do it LOL.
I'm working on my Master's now

 

[DMRippy]

Debbi I worked at a private college in Admissions so if you have any questions you can PM me. ONE thing you have to make sure of... the school you chose HAS to be ACCREDITED!!! Here in the south it is SACS (Southern Association of College and Schools) it will be a regional accreditation. All your state schools will be cheaper than private and they will be accredited too with no worries about credits transferring (that is why you have to make sure they accredited, you don't want to take classes and pay money for nothing, happens all the time!).

You should be a wiz at that degree and you will keep your professors entertained with all you stories!

 

[Chinchilla2]

Quote:
No plans on counseling here but I may need a counselor before it's over. My ultimate goal is to take the psych degree, get a Texas teaching certificate, and educating children between Pre-K to 4th grade with developmental disabilities with a specialization in autism spectrum disorders. A few years ago, the head of the special education department here was present during the yearly education modification planning meeting with my youngest and we got to talking. The subject came up about what I was going to do when my youngest finally made it through school since I had all this experience working in a 24/7 environment with autistic children. I looked at her and she goes, "If you add up the ages of your kids you have a total of over 50 years of experience, that's more than anyone on my staff will ever accumulate." She went on to point out that both my older ones (DD and oldest DS) have graduated in the top 20% of their classes (DS was salutatorian) and that she had observed me being "room mom" several times over the years with other children with disabilities and I had a natural ability to modify a lesson into something they could comprehend and learn if that particular subject was one they had difficulty with. Personally, I thought the woman was nuts. After a couple of months of thinking it over, there I was challenging a few basic classes and enrolled full time.

 

[pinkchick]

I decided to go to college at the age of 21, I had just had the twins and my son was 4. I was working a full time job as the Scheduling Coordinator for a Home Health and Hospice agency during the day and taking care of my 89 yo grandmother with Alzheimers and my 59 yo best friend who had Lupus and was a parapeligic, at night. I have no clue what I was thinking then and I have no idea how I ever got through it as a single mom, but will tell you that it helped make me who I am today, but if asked if I would go back and do it (college) all over again...NOPE!!!!!!!!!! (well maybe I would if it was all about chickens....dark egg laying blue chickens that is

)

But I do applaud those of you doing it now......GO GIT' EM!!!!!!!!!